{"id":2068,"date":"2026-02-28T02:57:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:57:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sigcorp.com\/case-studies\/transforming-advancement-operations-with-slate\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T14:00:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T21:00:55","slug":"transforming-advancement-operations-with-slate","status":"publish","type":"case-study","link":"https:\/\/www.sigcorp.com\/case-studies\/transforming-advancement-operations-with-slate\/","title":{"rendered":"Transforming Advancement Operations with Slate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-institutional-profile\">Institutional Profile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Harding University set out to modernize its advancement operations after successfully implementing Slate for Admissions. With a new Vice President for Advancement who was already familiar with Slate, the institution chose to adopt Slate Advancement to replace a legacy environment built on Raiser\u2019s Edge and ActiveEcho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-challenge\">Challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Advancement data was spread across systems, making reliable reporting difficult without manual work. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IT and Advancement were new to modern advancement system design, increasing risk in data modeling and workflow design. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leadership needed clearer fundraising insight, but requirements evolved over time. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Staff were unprepared for the operational and cultural shifts required by the move to a new advancement platform. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The project needed to go live before the Raiser\u2019s Edge contract expired, compressing the transition window. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li> The university needed to modernize its advancement environment within clear cost constraints while minimizing long-term dependency on external resources. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-solutions\">Solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Deep Advancement Domain Alignment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provided senior advancement architecture leadership, designed core workflows, and built lasting internal capability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sequenced foundational capabilities first to control costs and enable Harding to own ongoing configuration and enhancements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advancement Data Model and Workflow Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Designed core advancement constructs, including gifts, pledges, restricted funds, and endowments within Slate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clarified business rules and classifications critical for accurate financial reporting and stewardship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reporting &amp; Executive Visibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Worked with leadership to translate high-level questions into concrete reporting requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Built reports that delivered meaningful, accurate insight rather than ad hoc data extracts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Staff Enablement &amp; Knowledge Transfer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paired SIG consultants with Harding\u2019s dedicated advancement business analyst for hands-on learning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conducted multiple on-site sessions and ongoing weekly working meetings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transitioned ownership of day-to-day system operation to Harding\u2019s internal team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Integration with Finance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Integrated Slate Advancement with Banner via Constituent to ensure all gifts flowed accurately into financial systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-outcomes\">Outcomes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The project launched in just six months, aligning with the expiration of the legacy system contract.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clear ownership was established between IT and Advancement, improving data accuracy and governance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Established a sustainable operating model by building internal expertise and sequencing implementation priorities, helping avoid long-term cost escalation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Harding\u2019s leadership gained access to accurate, actionable fundraising data with significantly less manual effort.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SIG consultants helped build Harding\u2019s internal capability; the University\u2019s advancement analyst now designs and maintains reports and workflows independently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advancement, IT, and Finance now enjoy stronger cross-functional alignment, operating from a shared system of record for fundraising data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-future-outlook\">Future Outlook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Harding University continues to expand its use of Slate Advancement by enhancing executive dashboards and fundraising performance reporting, expanding staff self-service reporting, and strengthening advancement governance and data quality. The implementation now serves as a foundation for long-term advancement growth and modernization.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Harding University revamped its advancement operations by adopting Slate Advancement, transitioning from a legacy system. Key challenges included data integration and staff readiness. Solutions involved designing core workflows, enhancing reporting, and facilitating staff training.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1786,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","insight_topic":[19],"class_list":["post-2068","case-study","type-case-study","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Transforming Advancement Operations with Slate - Strata Information Group (SIG)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sigcorp.com\/case-studies\/transforming-advancement-operations-with-slate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Transforming Advancement Operations with Slate\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Harding University revamped its advancement operations by adopting Slate Advancement, transitioning from a legacy system. 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